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How to snap foundation form ties?

When poured concrete foundation is done, forms ties are left protruding from inside and outside of foundation walls. How to snap those ties and what to use to patch the cavities left from them? Thanks.

While the brute hammer blows will work, that is hard on the person doing ot after a few hours.

There is a tool made for this. Without having the tool, there are two ways to similate.

Find an open end wrench that fits the tie at the break point snugly and use it to twist.

or

use a pair if vice grip pliers to lock on and twist.

Sometimes a small cavity is created depending on the quality of the concrete and when forms are stripped. On th einterior, this is cosmetic only and a patchjing mortar can be used to fill.

On th eoutside, it definitely needs attention. A small trowel should be used to dap on fibred roof cement at each tie location before rolling on the foundation coating to moisture proof the foundation wall.

My last job - a crew of six who do this day in and day out came to strip the forms from one a wee bit bigger than that.

The six of them stripped and stacked all the forms to the gates and snapped the ties in six hours. Most of the tie snapping was done by the one guy on the bottom of their pecking order. After four hours of it, he was out of juice and could not do it with two whacks anymore. Th elast wo hours were an agony for him 'till I managed to get the rest of the crew into the hole.

It is darn hard work for anyone. The snap tool makes it easier , even if it is a bit slower. The original Q came from someone I suppose to be a DIY who may hurt them selves whacking away al day like that. Tired people at heavy labor adds up to injuries

I have once seen this method used. Get a piece of steel pipe the proper diameter to fit over the foundation tie. Have the pipe cut to approximately 2 feet in length. Insert pipe over tie, then use the end of pipe as a lever and push/pull. This will snap off the ties and may be easier then the hammer method.